Sessional Children and Young People Counsellor

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

As counsellor you are expected to work on a self-employed basis with children and young people face to face within a senior school environment, working closely with the school well-being team and the MNEE Mind management and administration teams.

Aspects of the role are as follows:

Deliver therapeutic interventions for children and young people in education setting with mild to moderate ill mental health and / or poor attendance.

Identify children and young people within the school who present with severe mental health concerns and liaise with the school well-being team and Mind management.

Familiarise with and adhere to school policies including whistle blowing and safeguarding children.

Work with and within education environments to afford better access to mental health support.

Utilised the MNEE Mind case management system.

Practise the ethical framework and work to competency.

Clinical supervision is a prerequisite.

Key Responsibilities:

Therapeutic:

1.Practise outcome focused, evidence-based counselling sessions in an educational setting for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, always working in collaboration with, and giving respect to, the education function of the setting in which the post-holder is based.

2.Work in partnership to support children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

3.Support and empower children, young people and their educators to make informed choices about the interventions being offered.

4.Book appointments via the case management system.

5.Practice, evidence and demonstrate an ability to manage caseload in conjunction with the requirements of the team.

6.Keep clear, professionally coherent records of all activity in line with both health and education service protocols and use these records and outcome data to inform decision making.

7.Complete all requirements relating to data collection.

8.Work within a collaborative approach involving a range of relevant others when indicated.

9.Always operate from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity.

10.Undertake and record accurate assessments of risk and operate clear risk management processes in line with locally agreed procedures including the safeguarding protocols of the educational setting and Local Safeguarding Board guidance.

11.Adhere to all regulations, processes, and procedures within the educational service to which the postholder is attached within the educational setting.

12.Record thorough case notes to the case management system after each session, highlighting areas of risk and sharing with the school well-being team where necessary.

Professional standards:

13.Ensure the maintenance of standards of own professional practice according to both the postholders employer and the Higher Education Institution in which they are based.

14.Ensure appropriate adherence to any new recommendations or guidelines set by the relevant departments.

15.Ensure that confidentiality is always protected.

16.Ensure that any risks or issues related to the safety and wellbeing of anyone are communicated and shared with appropriate parties in order to maintain individual safety and the public interest.

17.Participate in communicating updates with the MNEE Mind manager.

18.Keep continuous professional development and theoretical knowledge up to date to be able to best support the children and young people.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Level 4 Counselling (Integrative preferred)

Desirable

• A further CYP degree qualification.
• Teaching qualification.
• Youth Mental Health First Aid trained

Experience

Essential

• Ability to carry out 1:1 and face to face therapeutic session with CYP.
• Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within the staff group.
• Ability to conduct mental health assessments of children and young people.
• Ability to assess risk and to record and communicate appropriately.
• Ability to take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk.

Desirable

• Ability to work with mental health issues, and poor attendance
• Ability to conduct other group therapeutic interventions with children and young people

Skills, Abilities & Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of educational environments.
• Knowledge of safeguarding children.
• Experience of working with children and young people.
• Experience of working and liaising with a variety of agencies and stakeholders.
• Full, enhanced, and current satisfactory DBS disclosure for the role
• Ability to manage a sensitive, traumatic, and potentially emotionally distressing caseload.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work unsupervised and to specific information recording standards.
• Work well with others and be a clear communicator.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of the functional operation of education setting.
• Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist CAMHS teams.
• Experience of working with children in an education and / or health setting.

Personal Characteristics

Essential

• Self-motivated

Desirable

• Proven commitment to continuous professional development.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Mid and North East Essex Mind

Address

Unit 13 Crusader Business Park

Stephenson Road West

Clacton on Sea

Essex

CO15 4TL

Employer's website

https://mnessexmind.org/ (Opens in a new tab)